Alderman: Clean Bird Feeders Would Reduce Visits from Rodents

Jim Bohl says rats make a meal out of seeds and husks that fall from feeders.

A proposed ordinance would require feeders to be cleaned regularly

Credit Wonderal, Flickr

The Milwaukee alderman says he’s been getting increasing complaints about rats, in his district on the city’s northwest side.

So he’s come up with a change to the ordinance relating to bird feeders. The Common Council Public Safety Committee approved the measure on Thursday.

“This is not meant to take anyone’s bird feeder away. We know people love their birds -- ultimately it’s an important thing in individuals’ lives, and it can be done and maintained in a way that doesn’t contribute to the problem. However, we are seeing the rat problem that is significantly moving …it is much larger and more considerable than many people are aware of,” Bohl says.

Bohl’s legislation would require people to regularly clean their bird feeders and to keep the area below free of scraps. The measure now heads to the full Common Council.